(no subject)

[labellementeuse]

In good news, I'm going in for my first rituximab treatment this thursday. This is a treatment that hopefully will make it possible for me to come off steroids permanently with a normal or safe count, so, you know, \o/! Should be about four cycles, they shouldn't take too long and shouldn't have any side effects.

In less good news, god almighty I hate my doctors up here. I'm thrilled that he's giving me rituximab, which I wouldn't have been able to get in CHCH. But jesus, I went along to see him, he said "Hi I have your notes from Ruth come in on Thursday morning and we'll give you the first dose." There wasn't even a question of whether or not I could make it (which I can't, actually, but fortunately my boss is wonderful and is finding me cover.) There was absolutely no discussion of what the treatment actually is, which I happen to know is a low-dose treatment administered by IV. I should theoretically be able to come off it in a few hours and have no or very few side effects, but heaven forfend that he talk about what those side effects might be or, you know, about the IV, or anything. He didn't take a blood test, he didn't suggest dropping my steroid dose - so I have no idea how they're supposed to tell if my count is going to be affected, and hey, I would quite like to come of the pred as soon as possible but forget actually talking to him about what level I can drop to - what I really want to do, and I think it woiuld be safe for me to do, is drop to fifteen but since I can't talk to him and have no idea what my count is like now, I can't (and, anyway, it's not smart for me to make an independent decision like that. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be making a lot of these kind of decisions myself because he's not interested in helping me make them.)

Basically? He doesn't talk to me, has no interest whatsoever in making sure I understand anything and I don't like iot and I don't trust him and I miss my doctors in Christchurch. A lot.

Also I said I'd work tonight and I really, really don't want to, so WAH. WAH I SAY WAH.

Comments

[cactus-cat.livejournal.com]

Is that your family GP? If you feel like changing GPs, I'd highly recommend Clare O'Brien at City GPs. Probably a bit further for you, but she's lovely, really easy to talk to.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Sadly, no, this is the head haemotologist at the hospital. If I could change him, believe me, I would. :/

My GP is lovely, although I haven't seen her for a wee while now. :P

[cactus-cat.livejournal.com]

Dude. That sucks. =/

The rheumatologist I'm going to see (second visit) this month has the same kind of manner. Definitely not conducive to asking questions! Makes me wonder if there's something wrong in their training programmes...

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

I dunno, man, I've had lovely sympathetic patient-focused doctors who want to make sure you understand my mother hates because she thinks she's being treated like she's stupid, and then I've had brusque, disinterested, uncaring doctors who don't treat you like you're stupid, they treat you like it doesn't matter of you're stupid or not because you are totally irrelevant to the treatment of your condition, and my mother likes them.

Which was a long way to say: I guess some people like it the other way. Not me, though. :-/

[cactus-cat.livejournal.com]

To be honest, it never occured to me that some people might actually prefer that style. o_O I wonder if it's partly a generational thing?

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

I suspect it might be... I know mum laughed and told me all doctors used to be like this when I complain but, you know, that might be true, but all doctors AREN'T like this now and dammit I miss my old doctors. :(

I think some people probably do like being told what to do, though. Sometimes that's even me... I'd just rather have all my options. (Which sometimes has meant doing some research myself, don't get me wrong.)

[keymash.livejournal.com]

BOO WORK. Blame Sergei. Tis his fault both that you have to cover him and that I am too sick to cover him instead of you covering him.

Not sure that sentence made sense! \o/ for rituximab, though.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Oh, I do, believe me. ;) It's a comfort to me though that this means I don't feel too guilty about needing cover for thursday.

Yay indeed. :)

[cabaiste84.livejournal.com]

Health issues. Icky.

I've just been put on anti-depressants. So, you're not alone in the sickness factor...

Hope the treatment (and the doctor! Geez!) improves somewhat...

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hope things improve for you too, honey. I'm sorry I haven't said hi and sent well wishes your way lately but I have been thinking of you, just too rushed to comment.

[lady-larla.livejournal.com]

AAWWW....*scowls at the nasty doctor*
J is starting Ritaximab the second I can drag him into the hospital, 3 rounds for him. Arent you missing Ruth and Liam? But trust me they are also very much into the right were doing it on such and such date no checking convinience....but better than this other guy. Wish i could be with you...*hugs*

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

*hugsback* the date thing was really the least of my worries, because I know that it's expensive and it's the kind of thing where they don't really have time or money to fuss around with. So it's not really that. It's just the way he said "come in at 8:30 and we'll have you out in at the latest two and a half hours and there are no side effects" and I happen to know that's not true. I mean, I'm not expecting any side effects because I know they are very, very uncommon, but I think it's actually negligent to say that there aren't any at all. And and and. Oh, grar. I really do miss Ruth and even Liam - who apparently is being made a consultant! Surprise for all of us there... ;)

[lady-larla.livejournal.com]

Hee Hee..Liam becoming a consultant....but did you know Liam is engaged? The surprises never end....

I know this might be kind of an offensive question but...

[disturbed-kiwi.livejournal.com]

Did... did you try to ask him about this stuff?

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

It's not offensive, honey, but I did try. I mean, I didn't say "I hate you and I don't trust you and I would really like for you to communicate more with me about my deal, BITCH" but I did ask to have a blood test, I asked about dropping prednisone, and I asked about the rituximab, and he said "yes that's possible" for the first one and then totally failed to follow up on it - which he has done numerous times before, actually, and it really pisses me off - he said "we could consider that" for the second and then DIDN'T consider it and gave me a non-answer for the third. Any one of these could be well intentioned absent mindedness, but all together and with his general attitude mostly it strikes me as fobbing me off and hoping I won't take up too much of his time.

With my other doctors they were always more than willing to take a little extra time. And sometimes that meant waiting for upwards of two hours in the waiting room, but it also meant never leaving the hospital confused, it meant never leaving the hospital unhappy, and it meant ALWAYS knowing what my options are. With this guy I would never have known about options at all. *sigh*

[disturbed-kiwi.livejournal.com]

Right, well then yeah, he sounds like a jerk to me.

[kuril.livejournal.com]

I'd have the same problem. Not having answers to questions keep me up at night. Military doctors are notorious for being abrupt since they're usually overloaded as GPs. But a specialist? Are they really that hard pressed to take time with a patient to discuss the important issues of a treatment? That's awful. Maybe you caught him on a bad day. He could have been distracted and being an idiot for letting it get in the way of the patient. Blah.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Well, I've seen him a couple of times before and it was the same every time. I've been ignoring it because my doctors in CHCH are so great, but it just built up on me and I got way sick of it this week. :P

Unfortunately as a specialist he is incredibly busy. Haematologists, in this country anyway, tend to be WAY more busy than GPs. After all, there are a lot of GPs (although of course not enough) and there aren't that many haematologists. However, I still feel he could be a little more leisurely.

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

Ick, stupid doctors. Not stupid stupid, obviously, just...bad people skills, huh?

If it makes you feel better, I managed to get yelled at (sort of) on my first day at work. (Note to Briscoes people: when my "trainer" has disappeared into the ether, you have not taught me how to use the intercom, there is no one in the front half of the store, I am the only person on checkout, and a customer wants a hold? THIS IS A LOSE-LOSE SITUATION FOR ALL CONCERNED.)

Although the rest of it went fine, and was much more interesting than McDonalds.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the worst.

Oh, poor L. :( It sounds stressful. Is it improving? Have you worked much? From last Saturday to this Sunday I'm working 68 hours, go me, etc.

[miriamus.livejournal.com]

Big money!

[miriamus.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[miriamus.livejournal.com]

Hope everything gets a bit less GAH soon...

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

*hugs* thanks, honey.

[usagiko.livejournal.com]

Hey, my health blows too! :D WE ARE SISTERS

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

INDEED. :D

[derrick-reeves.livejournal.com]

It sounds a bit like your doctor here is busy. You might be receiving the "I don't have time to explain this, let alone explain the fact that I don't have time to explain my lack of explanation!" attitude. Even if this isn't true, from what you've written about the situation, you may be better off trying to make yourself believe it; if it doesn't work, then complaining until people do nice things for you is always an option. ;-)


By the way, did you do anything for Howl's fiftieth birthday?

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

He is busy - but so was my other doctor. Haemotologists clearly do not grow on trees, and as much as I sympathise and know there must be a lot of pressure on him, he could seriously do a lot more than he is in the time we do have. A lot more.

Ah... it passed me by. In fact, unless you're talking about Ginsberg, I have no idea what you're referring to. :P Share?

[derrick-reeves.livejournal.com]

See, the problem with thinking that he could be doing better is that it requires additional explanation... but, I guess you're happy with, "he's a jerk!" :-)

Yes, Ginsberg - and it hasn't really passed you by, given the vague nature of such things. City of Lights is holding events throughout November, after all.

[gianp.livejournal.com]

We're playing a gig in Wellingtron this Friday at Happy. You should totally come along ow, so we can catch up.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Sounds neat! What time?

[gianp.livejournal.com]

Not actually sure. Probably about 10 or 10.30?